Ruby's Waves
A picture book about finding your voice, and the love hidden deep in your heart.
Ruby is a hummingbird who cannot hum. Her sister Anna hums. Her brother Rufus hums. Even from a distance, Ruby can hear the melodic song of their wings. But no matter how hard she tries, eyes closed, beak curved into a smile, just like they do, Ruby's wings stay silent.
Heartbroken and desperate, Ruby sets off alone on a brave journey across the sea. From the jasmine vines of home, south through the Florida Keys, to the Great Hibiscus of Key West, and then out across the open ocean guided by the sun road on the water. She flies through sunset, into darkness, past bioluminescent waves lit by the memory of her siblings, and finally lands on the shores of Little Inagua.
There, guided by Melli, a wise purple-bearded hummingbird and her parents' oldest friend, Ruby discovers something she never expected:
Her voice was never missing. It was hidden deep in her heart, right where love lives.
Ruby's Waves works on two levels at once. For children, it is a vivid adventure story about courage, belonging, and finding your voice. For the adults reading alongside them, it is a deeply moving story about grief, memory, and the love that never truly leaves us. This is a book that parents and grandparents will cry over while reading it aloud.
A picture book for children ages 4 and up, and for anyone who has ever lost someone they love.
What Ruby's Waves is about:
Ruby's journey touches on themes that resonate long after the last page - finding your own voice, the courage to venture into the unknown alone, the grief of losing a parent, the comfort of memory, and the enduring love that connects us to those we have lost. A meaningful read-aloud for families, classrooms, and anyone who has ever felt like they don't quite belong.
Great for conversations about: self-discovery, loss and grief, courage, family, belonging, and emotional resilience.
About the Author :
My Generation Books was created to honor the memories of Lisa and Jonathan Heller. Lisa passed away from a cardiac event in her sleep in 2019. Five years before that, Jonathan succumbed to an aggressive cancer. The book, My Generation, was inspired by Lisa and Jonathan's generation, whose music, civil rights activism, and numerous acts of progress profoundly influenced their children. Ruby's Waves is a story rich with Heller family symbolism, memories, and themes central to the author's parents.Italian artist Francesco Orazzini creates stunning, psychedelic artwork that evokes the nostalgic illustrations of the books Jesse read as a child. If you knew Lisa and Jon, we hope Francesco's beautiful images will rekindle their loving presence and keep their memories alive.
